1. Field of the Invention
This invention has relation to swivel assemblies which can be situated between appliances such as television sets and the tops of tables and which will then permit the appliance to be swiveled about a vertical axis.
2. Description of the Prior Art
It is known in the furniture art to place a bearing race and spider on a horizontal tabletop, to place ball bearings in the race, to put a platform to be swiveled on top of the bearings and race, and to extend a bolt through the platform, the center of the race spider and the table top to provide a rotating platform for a television set or other furniture accessory. This structure is very effective but its usefulness is limited to the place where the table or other furniture piece is located.
Also, where a rectangular platform of substantially the same size as a rectangular tabletop is involved, the end panels of the table, for example, cannot extend above the tabletop without interfering or at least dragging against the bottom of the platform when a heavy appliance is supported on the platform.
What is needed is a furniture swivel assembly which can be acquired by a consumer at the time of purchasing a furniture supported appliance such as a television set or computer component and which swivel assembly will be useful whether the consumer later decides to:
(1) mount the swivel assembly directly on the television set, for example, to allow for swiveling wherever the set is placed;
(2) mount the swivel to the bottom of a platform so that any appliance placed on the platform can swivel wherever the platform is placed; or
(3) mount the swivel between the tabletop of a television stand, for example, and a platform but in such a manner as to allow the platform to clear the tops of the television stand end panels when they extend somewhat above the television stand tabletop.
A fourth desirable option is to provide a swivel mount connector which will allow the swivel assembly to be substantially instantaneously disassembled to separate the platform from the other elements of the assembly and to substantially instantaneously reassemble the swivel assembly.